Compartment front opening carton with interior vertical divider and support

ABSTRACT

A front-opening, rectangular paperboard carton including top, bottom, front wall, rear wall and end walls, which together define an enclosure and an upstanding divider separating the enclosure into a plurality of compartments. At least one compartment is provided with a removable cover panel.

I United States Patent 1191 111] 3,731,871 Buttery et al. 1 May 8, 1973 [54] COMPARTMENT FRONT OPENING [56] References Cited CARTON WITH INTERIOR VERTICAL UNITED STATES PATENTS DIVIDER AND SUPPORT 2,983,421 5/1961 Turpin ..229/27 UX [75] Inventors: Kenneth T. Buttery, Kalamazoo; 2,218,509 10/1940 Goodyear.

Richard G. Haas, Parchment, both 3 3 1/1963 y--- MMML 3,165,254 1/1965 Moore ..229 51 T8 [73] Assignee: Brown Company, Kalamazoo, Mich. primary Examiner ])ona]d 1: Norton [221 Filed, May 3 1971 Attorney-G0rd0n W. l-lueschen and Talivaldis Cepuritis [21] A pl. No.: 139,658

[57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S.Cl. ..229/27, 229/51 TS, 229/51 TC A fr n p g, rectangular paperboard carton i 51 Int. Cl. ..B65d 5/48 eluding p bottom, front wall, rear wall and end [58] Field of Search ..229/51 TS, 51 TC, walls, which together define an enclosure and an p 229/51 SC, 27 standing divider separating the enclosure into a plurality of compartments. At least one compartment is provided with a removable cover panel.

10 Claims, 9 Drawing, Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to cartons, and more particularly, to improved cartons for packaging foodstuffs such as ice cream. 1

Paperboard cartons are a widely accepted means for packaging various materials including foodstuffs. Such cartons usually are erected and filled with the normal access opening or cover means in a sealed condition. Typical such cartons are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,361,328 and 3,410,476.

- In the case of foodstuffs, often the content of a particular carton is not used up immediately upon opening but is permitted to stand with the attendant result that the foodstuff contained therein oxidizes and/or discolors. The carton design of thepresent invention obviates the foregoing drawbacks and provides several advantages with a compartmentalized container whereby foodstuffs contained in a particular compartment remain fresh until desired for use, notwithstanding the fact the carton itself has been opened and another compartment emptied prior to that time.

Moreover, in the case of ice cream, several different flavors can be advantageously provided in separate compartments of the same container.

Another advantage that is derived from the carton design of the present invention is that the present design permitsthe use of a lower caliper paperboard for construction purposes inasmuch as a divider or bridge within the carton lends substantial structural rigidity thereto.

A still further advantage is that the present design, incorporating a vertical divider, provides a backstop for the innermost endflaps of a carton which provision not only dimensionally stabilizes the carton but also results in a better sealing of the carton ends.

Thus it is an object of the present invention to provide a carton for the packagingof foodstuffs which is subdivided into several compartments so that the contents of one compartment can be consumed while another compartment remains substantially sealed. Another object ofthe present invention is to provide a carton design which permits the use of a relatively lower caliper paperboard without sacrificing the structural rigidity of the carton.

Still other objects will readily present themselves to one skilled in the art upon reference to the ensuing specification, drawings, and the claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention contemplates a front-opening carton having an upstanding divider means secured to a wall hingedly connected to one edge of the bottom panel, a rear wall hingedly connected along one edge thereof to the opposite edge of the bottom panel, a top panel hingedly connected to the opposite edge of the rear panel, a front panel hingedly connected to the top panel and overlapping the front wall, bottom panel end flaps hingedly connected to the bottom panel and constituting one layer of carton end walls, rear wall end 0 flaps and front wall end flaps hingedly connected to rear wall and front wall, respectively, and overlapping the bottompanel end flaps, top panel end flaps hingedly connected to the top panel and overlapping the bottom panel end flaps at each end, an upstanding divider means within the carton separating the carton enclosure into a plurality of compartments, and a removable cover panel for at least one of the compartments secured between the divider means and the front wall or rear wall of the carton. Detachable carton opening means adhesively affixes the front panel to the front wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an integral carton blank cut and scored so as to provide a carton of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a carton blank and a separate divider and cover panel combination which, when assembled, provides a carton of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the blank shown in FIG. 1 with one portion thereof folded over prior to gluing;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the blank shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 completely folded and ready for gluing and subsequent erection;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a carton of this inven tion with the end flaps folded over in a sealing position;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a section taken along line VI- VI ofFIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of a cartonof this invention showing the carton with one internal compartment open;

FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of a carton of this invention showing the'carton with both internal compartments open; and

FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of the carton shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 in reclosed condition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS are indicated by a series of horizontal lines. The terms debossed and embossed are used with reference to the outer surface of the carton as constructed.

Referring to FIG. 1, carton blank 10 comprises bottom panel 11, and front wall 12 and rear wall 13 both hingedly connected to bottom panel 11. Top panel'l4 is hingedly connected to rear wall 13 and front panel 15 is hingedly connected to top panel 14 and adapted to overlap front wall 12 when the carton is erected.

Bottom panel 11 is provided with bottom panel end flaps 16 and 17 hingedly connected thereto which constitute one layer of end walls for the erected: carton. Similarly front wall 12 is provided with front wall end flaps 18 and l9 hingedly. connected thereto and adapted to overlap bottom panel end flaps 16 and 17, respectively, when the carton is erected. By the same token, rear wall 13 is provided with rear wall end flaps 20 and 21 hingedly connected thereto and also adapted to overlap bottom panel end flaps l6 and 17, respectively, when the carton is erected.

Top panel 14 is provided with top panel end flaps 22 and 23 which are hingedly connected thereto and which overlap bottom panel end flaps l6 and 17, respectively. In the embodiments shown in the Figures, front wall end flaps 18 and 19 and rear wall end flaps 20 and 21 overlap top panel end flaps 22 and 23; however, this is not essential for the purposes of the present invention which is equally well suited for use in conjunction with a carton such as disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 3,361,328 wherein the top panel end flaps overlap the bottom end flaps and also overlap the front wall end flaps and the rear wall end flaps.

As shown in FIG. 1, upstanding divider means 24 is adapted for adhesive attachment to bottom panel 11 at adhesive region 25 by means of attachment strip 30 and is hingedly connected to removable cover panel 26, preferably by means of a line of weakening such as perforated line 27. Removable cover panel 26, in turn, is connected to front wall 12 at score 28 which can be a line of weakening. Removal of cover panel 26 is facilitated by the provision of tear strip 29 therein.

Detachable carton opening means are provided in front panel 15 and comprise tear strip 32 and adhesive region 31 which is adapted for adhesive affixation to front wall 12. In lieu of tear strip 32 a peel strip having an adhesive region thereon can also be used, if desired. Reclosure tab 33 in front panel 15 is adapted to be exposed when tear strip 32 is removed. Reclosure slot 34 in front wall 12 is adapted to receive tab 33.

Although the end flap arrangement shown in the Figures is not essential for the purpose of the present invention, this particular arrangement is preferred inasmuch as it provides an effective end closure for the carton having a flat, square appearance. Front wall end flaps 18 and 19 have embossments 36 and 35, respectively, which terminate in cut-out portions 38 and 37, respectively. I

Similarly, rear wall end flaps 20 and 21 are provided with embossments 44 and 43, respectively, which terminate in cut-out portions 46 and 45, respectively.

Adhesive regions 42 and 48 are adapted for affixation to bottom panel end flap 16 and adhesive regions 41 and 47 are adapted for adhesive afiixation to bottom panel end flap 17. Inasmuch as top panel end flaps 22 and 23 also overlap end flaps-l6 and 17, respectively, adhesive regions 40 and 50 are adapted for adhesive affixation to end flap 22 and adhesive regions 39 and 49 are adapted for adhesive affixation to end flap 23. Cutout portions 38 and 46 cooperate to provide a convenient finger insert means 55 on one side of the carton for opening the same (FIG. Inthe same manner ,cutout portions 37 and 45 provide a finger insert means on the other side of the carton.

In front wall end flaps 18 and 19 and in rear wall end flaps 20 and 21, adhesive regions 39, 40, 49 and 50 of the end flaps are delineated from the respective embossments 35, 36, 43 and 44 by severance lines 51, 52, 53, and 54, respectively. When an erected and glued carton is subsequently opened, these lines are severed and the portions of end flaps bearing adhesive regions 39, 40, 49 and 50 remain permanently attached to the respective top panel end flaps 22 and 23. A pocket suitable for the insertion of top panel end flap 22 upon carton reclosure is formed through cooperation of embossments 38 and 46. Similarly, a pocket for top panel end flap 23 is formed by cooperating embossments 35 and 43. Insertion of flaps 22 and 23 in the aforesaid pockets can be further facilitated, if desired, by providing crease scores or lines of weakening at the outer corners thereof such as perforated lines 56, 57, 58 and 59 shown in FIG. 1.

In another embodiment of this invention, shown in FIG. 2, the parts assigned a number followed by the designation a are identical to parts having the corresponding number in FIGS. 1 and 3 through 9 and cooperate in the same manner. Thus a detailed description of these identical parts shownin FIG. 2 will be omitted. The embodiment of FIG. 2 utilizes separate, non-integral, upstanding or vertical divider means 60. In this embodiment removable cover panel 61 need not be hingedly connected to front wall 12a but can be affixed in any convenient manner by means of cover panel attachment strips 62 and 63 either to front wall 12a or to rear wall 13a as desired.

In still another variant of this invention (not shown in the FIGURES) a pair of upstanding divider means, each connected to a removable cover panel, can be used to divide the carton enclosure into three separate compartments, two of which are covered, with one cover panel attached to a front wall and the other attached to a rear wall of the carton. Moreover, the upstanding divider means and the adjacent cover panels can be made integral with the carton blank, if desired, hingedly connected to the respective front wall and rear wall thereof, and the top panel and front panel, together with their attendant end flaps, supplied as a separate member which is then adhesively attached to the rear wall of the carton in any suitable manner.

Upon assembly of a carton from blank 10 shown in FIG. 1, blank 10 is folded over as shown in FIG. 3 with divider attachment strip superimposed over adhesive region 25 so that divider means 24 can be adhesively attached to bottom panel 11. Thereafter front wall 12 and bottom panel 11 are folded over as shown in FIG. 4 and front panel 15 folded over front wall 12 so that adhesive region 31 (FIG. 1) can be adhesively attached thereto. After front panel 15 is attached to front wall 12, the result is a folded tube with divider means 24 secured in place. The thus obtained folded tube can be waxed or otherwise suitably treated at this stage of construction, if desired.

To erect a carton so constructed for filling, the folded tube-like blank is squared up on a conventional squaring machine or the like, and one end of the carton closed by first folding bottom panel end flap such asfiap 16. Top panel end flap 22 is then folded over flap 16, and subsequently front wall and rear wall end flaps 18 and 20, respectively, folded thereover. To facilitate squaring of the carton and subsequentfilling, cover panel 26 and top panel 14 may be attached together by means of one or more isolated adhesive areas in the form of ovals, circles, or the like.

If heat-activatable adhesive is applied on the indicated adhesive regions, affixation of the several flaps is accomplished by heating these regions and then suitably pressing down the flaps. In the alternative, a hot melt adhesive may be applied on the aforesaid areas at the machine erecting the cartons so as to accomplish the same result as with a pre-applied, heat-activated adhesive. When using a hot melt adhesive, the need for heat-activating machinery is, of course, obviated.

The erected carton can now be filled through the remaining open end in the usual manner and the open end of the filled carton subsequently closed in a sequence substantially as hereinbefore described. That is, referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, bottom panel end flap I7 is folded over the carton end opening, top panel end flap 23 is then folded over flap 17, and thereafter front wall and rear wall end flaps 19 and 21, respectively, folded thereover. Alternatively, the first-mentioned carton end may be closed and/or tacked, as with glue, but not sealed, and then both carton ends sealed simultaneously after filling.

A sealed carton is shown in FIG. 5 and an elevational view thereof in section taken along line VI VI is shown in FIG. 6.

The sealed carton may be opened first as shown in FIG. 7 by detaching tear strip 32, severing lines 52 and 54 (FIG. 5), as well as lines 51 and 53 (FIG. 1), and lifting up top panel 14 to expose one portion of container contents. Another portion of container contents is exposed by detaching tear strip 29 and lifting up and/or detaching removable cover panel 26 along perforated line 27 as shown in FIG. 8.

Reclosure of the opened carton can be accomplished by returning top panel 14 to its original position, tucking in top panel flaps such as flap 22 in the pocket provided therefor, i.e., between embossments 36 and 44 on one hand and bottom panel end flap 16 on the other, and by engaging reclosure tab 33 with reclosure slot 34. A reclosed carton is shown in FIG. 9.

Once the contents of one of the carton compartments has been consumed or removed therefrom, upstanding divider means 24 can be detached from bottom panel 11 in any convenient manner, for example, by severing attachment strip 30 from divider means 24 along a suitable line of weakening such as perforated line 64.

The embossments shown in the FIGURES as well as the cut-outs in the front wall and rear wall end flaps while desirable, and thus preferred, are not essential for the present invention. In addition, in some instances it may be desirable to provide a cutout portion in only one set of the end flaps, i.e., in either front wall end flaps or rear wall end flaps. Moreover, to facilitate opening of the carton, lift tabs may be provided on the top panel end flaps and the cut-out portion or portions arranged so as to provide a finger insert means under the lift tabs.

The foregoing embodiments of the present invention are intended as illustrative but are not to be construed as limiting. Still other variations within the spirit and scope of thisinvention will readily present themselves to one skilled in the art. I

We claim:

1. A front-opening paperboard carton having a bottom panel;

a front wall hingedly connected to oneedge of the bottom panel;

a rear wall hingedly connected along one edge thereof to the opposite edge of the bottom panel;

a top panel hingedly connected to the opposite edge of the rear wall;

a front panel hingedly connected to the top panel and overlapping the front wall;

detachable carton opening means adhesively affixing the front panel to the front wall;

bottom panel end flaps hingedlly connected to the bottom panel;

rear wall end flaps hingedly connected to the rear wall;

front wall end flaps hingedly connected to the front wall;

top panel end flaps hingedly connected to the top panel;

an upstanding divider means in said carton spaced from the front wall and the rear wall, adhesively attached to the bottom panel, and dividing enclosure defined by said walls and said panels into a plurality of compartments; and

a removable cover panel for at least one of the compartments hingedly connected to the free edge of the divider means and affixed to the front wall or rear wall of the carton; and

said bottom panel end flaps, said top panel end flaps and said front wall end flaps and rear wall end flaps cooperating to form end walls for the carton at each end.

2. The front-opening paperboard carton of claim 1 wherein the removable cover panel is adhesively attached to the front wall or rear wall of the carton.

3. The front-opening paperboard carton of claim 1 wherein the removable cover panel is hingedly connected to the front wall or rear wall of the carton.

4. The front-opening paperboard carton of claim 1 wherein the removable cover panel is provided with lines of weakening defining a removable portion thereof.

5. The front-opening paperboard carton of claim 1 wherein the removable cover panel is provided with a tear strip adapted to facilitate the removal thereof.

6. The front-opening paperboard carton of claim 1 wherein said bottom panel end flaps constitute one layer of end walls for the carton, and said top panel end flaps, said front wall end flaps, and said rear wall end flaps overlap the bottom panel end flaps.

7. An integral paperboard blank. for forming a frontopening carton cut and scored to provide a bottom panel;

a front wall hingedly connected to one edge of the bottom panel;

a rear wall hingedly connected along one edge thereof to the opposite edge of the bottom panel;

a top panel hingedly connected to the opposite edge of the rear wall;

a front panel hingedly connected to the top panel and adapted to overlap the front wall;

said front wall end flaps, and said rear wall end flaps being adapted to cooperate so as to form end walls for the carton.

8. The integral paperboard blank of claim 7 wherein lines of weakening are provided in the cover panel defining a removable portion thereof.

9. The integral paperboard blank of claim 7 wherein a tear strip is provided in the cover panel.

10. The integral paperboard blank of claim 7 wherein the bottom panel end flaps are adapted to constitute one layer of end walls for the carton, and said top panel end flaps, said front wall end flaps, and said rear wall end flaps are adapted to overlap the bottom panel end flaps. 

1. A front-opening paperboard carton having a bottom panel; a front wall hingedly connected to one edge of the bottom panel; a rear wall hingedly connected along one edge thereof to the opposite edge of the bottom panel; a top panel hingedly connected to the opposite edge of the rear wall; a front panel hingedly connected to the top panel and overlapping the front wall; detachable carton opening means adhesively affixing the front panel to the front wall; bottom panel end flaps hingedly connected to the bottom panel; rear wall end flaps hingedly connected to the rear wall; front wall end flaps hingedly connected to the front wall; top panel end flaps hingedly connected to the top panel; an upstanding divider means in said carton spaced from the front wall and the rear wall, adhesively attached to the bottom panel, and dividing enclosure defined by said walls and said panels into a plurality of compartments; and a removable cover panel for at least one of the compartments hingedly connected to the free edge of the divider means and affixed to the front wall or rear wall of the carton; and said bottom panel end flaps, said top panel end flaps and said front wall end flaps and rear wall end flaps cooperating to form end walls for the carton at each end.
 2. The front-opening paperboard carton of claim 1 wherein the removable cover panel is adhesively attached to the front wall or rear wall of the carton.
 3. The front-opening paperboard carton of claim 1 wherein the removable cover panel is hingedly connected to the front wall or rear wall of the carton.
 4. The front-opening paperboard carton of claim 1 wherein the removable cover panel is provided with lines of weakening defining a removable portion thereof.
 5. The front-opening paperboard carton of claim 1 wherein the removable cover panel is provided with a tear strip adapted to facilitate the removal thereof.
 6. The front-opening paperboard carton of claim 1 wherein said bottom panel end flaps constitute one layer of end walls for the carton, and said top panel end flaps, said front wall end flaps, and said rear wall end flaps overlap the bottom panel end flaps.
 7. An integral paperboard blank for forming a front-opening carton cut and scored to provide a bottom panel; a front wall hingedly connected to one edge of the bottom panel; a rear wall hingedly connected along one edge thereof to the opposite edge of the bottom panel; a top panel hingedly connected to the opposite edge of the rear wall; a front panel hingedly connected to the top panel and adapted to overlap the front wall; detachable carton opening means in the front panel adapted for adhesive affixation of the front panel to the front wall; bottom panel end flaps hingedly connected to the bottom panel; rear wall end flaps hingedly connected to the rear wall; front wall end flaps hingedly connected to the front wall; top panel end flaps hingedly connected to the top panel; a cover panel hingedly connected to the front wall; a divider means hingedly connected to the cover panel and adapted for adhesive affixation to the bottom panel; and said bottom panel end flaps, said top panel end flaps, said front wall end flaps, and said rear wall end flaps being adapted to cooperate so as to form end walls for the carton.
 8. The integral paperboard blank of claim 7 wherein lines of weakening are provided in the cover panel defining a removable portion thereof.
 9. The integral paperboard blank of claim 7 wherein a tear strip is provided in the cover panel.
 10. The integral paperboard blank of claim 7 wherein the bottom panel end flaps are adapted to constitute one layer of end walls for the carton, and said top panel end flaps, said front wall end flaps, and said rear wall end flaps are adapted to overlap the bottom panel end flaps. 